Darr will always hold a special place in Bollywood history for its iconic music, beautiful European locales, and for launching Shah Rukh Khan into the stratosphere of stardom.
Shah Rukh Khan plays the role of Ajay (also known as Vijay), a small but pivotal character in the movie. Ajay is a psychotherapist who helps Neela cope with her troubled marriage. Although his role is brief, it has a significant impact on the storyline.
Shah Rukh Khan is rightly celebrated as Bollywood's "King of Romance," a reputation he cemented with unforgettable films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995). However, before he became the nation's beloved romantic hero, SRK embarked on a daring, career-defining path: playing the anti-hero. In a remarkable 1993–1994 stretch, he delivered a "vengeance trilogy" of films featuring dangerous, nasty, and morally grey characters. This includes Baazigar (1993), where he played a calculating avenger who murders his girlfriend, and Darr (1993), which transformed obsession into a disturbing, poetic fixation.
The very idea of a new, promising actor choosing to play negative characters back-to-back was a seismic risk in the early '90s, considered a potential career-ender. Yet, Shah Rukh Khan took the plunge, creating a new kind of anti-hero. His characters always had a twisted emotional reason for their actions, which somehow struck a chord with the audience.
There is no "tragic backstory" to justify Vijay’s actions. He is a wealthy brat who cannot handle the word "no." This makes the performance more challenging and, ultimately, better. SRK doesn't rely on the audience’s pity; he leans into the visceral discomfort of a man who will burn the world down because a woman (played brilliantly by Madhuri Dixit) didn't return his gaze. 2. The Chemistry of Equals: SRK vs. Madhuri Dixit
